Maybe she should stay away, she thinks as he walks past, surrounded by the heavily armed guards in bullet proof suits. His smile, when he glances at the one-way mirrored glass of the corridor, is knowing, a sly one that sneaks onto his lips just as smoothly as everything he's ever done in his insane life.

It's as if his emerald eyes can pierce through the glass and Natasha shivers within herself, her heart picking up its pace. No, maybe she shouldn't back down, maybe she should stand up and fight like the rest of her team, take the man down like she's crushing a bug, but she can't dig deep enough to find the hatred to drive her, the fury to light a fire in her veins.

She turns her gaze to Clint, who's sitting on her bed, staring at her with rapt attention and a glint of something within his storm grey eyes. She's very familiar with those eyes. He stands up and pats her shoulder, an endearing look on his face.

"Better go greet the guest."

...

"The guest" is none too friendly and when they all gather around the giant table to stare at the screen before them, Loki sneers.

"Quite a team you've assembled, Director," he says softly, his lips moving in such perfect rhythm that the words soothe her ears. "I must say, though, it will fall apart before you know it."

He looks to the camera and his brother, Thor, looks terribly guilty with his arms crossed idly at his armored chest. Natasha looks to Bruce, the dark haired time bomb they've grown to love, and he frowns in concentration. Tony looks serious, which is a first, and it's like he's trying to pick apart Loki's words, like they have a secret meaning just out of his reach. They probably do, though, so she doesn't mention the oddity of the action. Loki's eyes go dark and his smile, then, turns mean, twisted, and she squints to see clearer.

"Things have a tendency to do that, you know." Director Fury smirks and there is no humor in his dark eye.

"Even if it crumbles, it will die knowing that it defeated you," he states calmly, confidently. Loki tilts his head, his black hair moving across his shoulders, and begins to laugh. "If you think that this cage can hold me, Fury, you're terribly mistaken."

He spreads his arms out and his fingertips come close to brushing the glass sides. "Nothing is impossible…It would do you good to remember that," Loki murmurs, his voice silky.

Natasha keeps her face neutral as he looks to the camera, keeps her heart steady and wills her blood to stop its fast paced flowing, and his eyes bore into hers, his pale skin glowing like the moon in the dimly lit prison.

"And no one is ever as they seem."

I wrote this a really long time ago, when all the hype about 'The Avengers' was just beginning to build up thanks to one of the first trailers. I ship NatashaXLoki and the trailer deceived me. -_- So, I wrote my interpretation. All rights go to their repsectful owners. I own nothing, except the disapointment at being deceived by that trailer. Please R&R! Feedback is very much appreciated! ;)